To run Plesk on a VPS (Virtual Private Server), you need to follow a few steps. Firstly, ensure that your VPS meets the minimum system requirements for Plesk installation.
- Operating System: Choose a VPS that supports Plesk-compatible operating systems, such as CentOS, Ubuntu, or Debian.
- Installation: Connect to your VPS via SSH (Secure Shell) using a terminal or SSH client. Download the Plesk installation script from the official Plesk website for your specific operating system.
- Execute the Installation Script: Run the downloaded installation script with root privileges. This script will automate the installation process, including the configuring of necessary components and services. Follow the prompts and provide any required information during the installation.
- Initial Configuration: Once the installation is complete, you can access the Plesk web-based control panel using a web browser. Enter the IP address or domain name of your VPS followed by the port number 8443 (e.g., https://yourdomain.com:8443). This will redirect you to the Plesk login page.
- Login and Activation: Enter the administrator login credentials that you set during the installation process. After logging in, you will be prompted to activate your Plesk license. If you do not have a license, you can request a trial license from the Plesk website.
- Post-Installation Setup: Once activated, you can proceed with the post-installation setup of Plesk. This includes configuring the server settings, network settings, email settings, and other customization options according to your requirements.
- Adding Domains: You can start adding domains, hosting subscriptions, email accounts, databases, and other services through the Plesk control panel. Plesk provides a user-friendly interface to manage your VPS and its associated services efficiently.
- Security and Updates: Regularly update your Plesk installation and the underlying operating system to ensure the latest security patches and bug fixes. Plesk provides an easy way to manage updates through its control panel.
- Advanced Configuration: Depending on your specific needs, you may need to configure additional aspects such as SSL/TLS certificates, DNS settings, firewall rules, or advanced server management settings. Plesk offers various documentation and resources to guide you through these configurations.
Remember to consult the official Plesk documentation or seek professional assistance if you encounter any issues or require further guidance during the installation or configuration process.
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How to generate and interpret website statistics in Plesk on a VPS?
To generate and interpret website statistics in Plesk on a VPS, follow these steps:
- Login to your Plesk control panel using your username and password.
- Once logged in, click on "Websites & Domains" in the left sidebar.
- Locate the website for which you want to generate the statistics and click on the "Hosting Settings" button next to it.
- Scroll down to the "Web Statistics" section and enable the statistics by selecting the desired statistics program (e.g., "Webalizer" or "AWStats") and clicking on the "OK" button.
- After enabling the statistics program, click on the "Web Statistics & Logs" tab on the left sidebar.
- In the "Web Statistics & Logs" page, select the desired statistics program from the drop-down menu (e.g., "Webalizer" or "AWStats") and click on the "OK" button to generate the statistics.
- Wait for the statistics to be processed. It may take a few minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your website and the amount of traffic it receives.
- Once the statistics are processed, you can view them by clicking on the "View Report" link next to the selected statistics program.
Interpreting the website statistics:
- The statistics program will provide various metrics like the number of unique visitors, total visits, page views, and bandwidth consumption.
- The report may also include information about the most popular pages, referring websites, search engine keywords, and visitor locations.
- You can use these metrics to analyze the performance of your website, identify popular pages, and track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
- The statistics will help you understand the behavior of your website visitors and make informed decisions to improve user experience and drive more traffic.
Remember to regularly check and analyze your website statistics to gain insights and make data-driven decisions.
How to install Plesk on a VPS?
To install Plesk on a VPS, you can follow these steps:
- Start by logging into your VPS as the root user via SSH.
- Update the system packages using the following command: yum update
- Install the Plesk installation repository by executing the following command: curl -sL https://install.plesk.com/one-click-installer | sh
- After the installation repository has been added, you're ready to install Plesk. Launch the Plesk installer by running the command: plesk installer
- The Plesk Installer will display a menu with various installation options. Use the arrow keys to navigate and select the desired components to install. Press Enter to proceed.
- You will be prompted to accept the Plesk End User License Agreement. Press "y" and Enter to accept.
- Next, choose the desired installation type. "Recommended" is the recommended option, which includes the most commonly used components. You can also choose "Full" for a complete installation or "Custom" to select specific components manually.
- The installer will start downloading and installing the selected components. This process may take some time.
- Once the installation is complete, you will be prompted to set the administrator's password for Plesk. Enter a strong password and press Enter.
- After setting the password, Plesk will start configuring and initializing its services.
- Once the setup is complete, you can access Plesk by navigating to the IP address or domain name of your VPS in a web browser and logging in with the administrator's username (usually "admin") and the password you set.
That's it! You have successfully installed Plesk on your VPS. You can now start configuring and managing your websites and services through the Plesk control panel.
What are the options for managing domains and subdomains in Plesk on a VPS?
Plesk offers several options for managing domains and subdomains on a VPS. Here are a few of them:
- Creating Domains and Subdomains: Plesk allows users to easily create new domains and subdomains with a few clicks. You can specify the domain name, IP address, and other settings during the creation process.
- DNS Management: Plesk provides a DNS management interface where you can manage the DNS records of your domains and subdomains. You can add, edit, or delete records such as A, MX, CNAME, and TXT records.
- SSL/TLS Certificates: Plesk offers an integrated SSL/TLS certificate management system. You can generate free Let's Encrypt certificates or install custom certificates for your domains and subdomains to ensure secure communication.
- Web Server Configuration: Plesk allows you to configure various web server settings for your domains and subdomains. You can specify the document root directory, enable/disable features like PHP, CGI, and FastCGI, set up redirects, and more.
- Email Hosting: Plesk provides email hosting capabilities for your domains and subdomains. You can create email accounts, set up aliases and forwarding, manage spam filters, and access webmail interfaces.
- FTP/SFTP Access: Plesk enables you to set up FTP and SFTP access to your domains and subdomains. You can create FTP accounts, specify access permissions, and manage the FTP/SFTP server configuration.
- Backup and Restore: Plesk allows you to create backups of your domains and subdomains, including files, databases, email accounts, and settings. You can schedule automatic backups and easily restore them if needed.
These are just a few examples of the options available for managing domains and subdomains in Plesk on a VPS. Plesk offers a comprehensive set of tools to simplify the administration of your web hosting environment.
What is the default login credentials for Plesk on a VPS?
The default login credentials for Plesk on a VPS vary depending on the hosting provider. However, in most cases, the default login credentials for Plesk on a VPS are:
Username: admin Password: the password provided during the initial setup or registration process
However, it is important to note that hosting providers may customize the default login credentials for security purposes, so it is recommended to check with your hosting provider or refer to the welcome email or documentation provided by them for the correct login credentials.
What are the recommended PHP settings for Plesk on a VPS?
The recommended PHP settings for Plesk on a VPS may vary depending on the specific requirements of your applications. However, here are some general recommendations:
- Memory Limit: Set the memory limit to a value adequate for your applications. Start with a conservative limit, like 128MB, and increase it if required.
- Max Execution Time: Increase the default max execution time to a higher value if your application requires longer processes. You can set it to something like 300 seconds (5 minutes).
- Max Input Vars: If your application deals with large forms or complex data, you may need to increase the max input vars setting to avoid any data loss.
- Upload Max Filesize: Set the maximum file size limit to a value suitable for your application's file upload requirements. You can set it to something like 32MB or higher.
- Post Max Size: Similarly, adjust the post_max_size setting to accommodate the maximum size of the post data required by your applications.
- Error Reporting: Configure PHP to display errors during development to catch any potential issues. However, remember to disable error reporting in the production environment for security reasons.
- OPCache: Enable OPCache, a byte-code caching system, to improve the PHP performance. The specific OPCache settings vary depending on your application, but enabling it is generally recommended.
- Session Save Path: Configure the session save path to store session data securely on disk. Make sure the path is accessible and has sufficient storage capacity.
- Disable Dangerous PHP Functions: Disable any dangerous PHP functions that are not required by your applications to ensure better security.
Remember to periodically review and optimize these settings based on the needs of your applications and server resources.
How to enable and configure SSL/TLS on Plesk for a VPS?
To enable and configure SSL/TLS on Plesk for a VPS, you can follow these steps:
- Log in to your Plesk control panel as the administrator.
- Go to the "Websites & Domains" tab.
- Click on the domain for which you want to enable SSL/TLS.
- In the new tab, scroll down and click on "SSL/TLS Certificates".
- Click on the "Add SSL/TLS Certificate" button.
- Fill in the required information, including the certificate name, certificate type, and corresponding private key. You can either generate a self-signed certificate or use a certificate signed by a certificate authority (CA).
- If you have a CA-signed certificate, click on the "Upload Certificate" button and provide the certificate files. Otherwise, for a self-signed certificate, you can leave the fields blank, and Plesk will generate the certificate for you.
- Click on the "Upload" button to complete the certificate installation.
- After the certificate is installed, go back to the domain settings page and click on the "Hosting Settings" option.
- Scroll down to the "Security" section and select the SSL/TLS certificate you just installed from the "Certificate" dropdown menu.
- Save the changes and restart the web server by going to the "Tools & Settings" tab and clicking on "Restart Services" under "Web Server".
Now your domain should be accessible over HTTPS using the SSL/TLS certificate you configured.
Note: The exact steps and options might vary depending on the version of Plesk you are using.
